Prince Andrew got some good news on the legal front Tuesday when a Florida judge ruled that that underage sex allegations against the royal had no relevance in an ongoing lawsuit.

"At this juncture in the proceedings, these lurid details are
unnecessary. These unnecessary details shall be stricken," a Florida judge ruled as part of a civil lawsuit against Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile, sex offender and former pal of Andrew's.

The
55-year-old prince was named in court papers by Virginia Roberts, now in her 30s, who alleged that the financier forced her to have sex with men including the Duke of York in
several locations between 1999 and 2002, when she was just 17.

Prince Andrew has always denied the allegations Photo: Getty Images

Prince Andrew, fifth in line to the throne, is not mentioned by name in the 10-page ruling made this week by a Palm Beach County Court jurist. Judge Kenneth Marra referred to the claims that the young woman was allegedly forced to have sex with powerful men saying they were "immaterial and impertinent."

The case was brought by two other women, identified in court papers as Jane Does, who are suing the U.S. government over a plea deal prosecutors made with Epstein. Roberts made her claims in an attempt to join the lawsuit, but the judge ruled against her.

The British royal family has stood by the Duke Photo: Getty Images

The palace
has denied the claims against Prince Andrew from the start. “The allegations made are false and without
any foundation," a spokesperson said earlier this year. "This relates to long-running
and ongoing civil proceedings in the United States to which the Duke of York is
not a party. As such we would not comment in detail, however, for the avoidance
of doubt, any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically
untrue."

And the Prince
briefly
addressed the controversy at the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland in January. "I wish to reiterate and
reaffirm the statements already made by Buckingham Palace,"
Queen Elizabeth's son said. "My focus is my work."

Ex-wife Sarah Ferguson has supported AndrewPhoto: Getty Images

Even ex-wife Sarah Ferguson has supported Andrew. "It is defamation of character," she
said on NBC’s Today. "And as a great father and
humongously good man in all the work he does for Britain, [I] won’t stand by
and let him have his character defamed to this level."

Prince Andrew attended Easter mass with his family on Sunday Photo: Getty Images

Prince Andrew most recently spent Easter attending mass at Windsor Castle with other members of the
British monarchy.